Prisoner’s Sister Seeks 60-Day Furlough Extension So He Can Support Their 90-Year-Old Mother: Madras HC Gives State 2 Weeks To Decide

The petitioner, sister of convict prisoner Sankaranarayanan, sought a further 60-day extension of his furlough so that he could support their 90-year-old mother, who required medical aid.

After an earlier petition resulted in a direction to consider a similar representation, the petitioner submitted a further representation dated 26 August 2026, which remained undecided.

The State submitted that the representation had been forwarded to the Government, the competent authority, and was under consideration.

The petition was brought under Article 226 seeking a direction to consider the representation and extend the furlough.

In exercising its jurisdiction under Article 226, the Court applied the principle that representations seeking relief on behalf of convict prisoners must be considered within a reasonable time and without undue delay.

It further held that an order available in the online court system may be acted upon by the authorities; delayed receipt of a physical copy does not, in the circumstances of this case, justify inaction.

The Court noted that the earlier order had been despatched on 3 September 2026 and was available online, notwithstanding the State’s submission that it was received on 21 September 2026.

Given the nature of the relief sought, the authorities could have obtained the order online and proceeded with the representation.

As the Government was the competent authority and the representation remained under consideration, the Court directed it to decide the matter on its merits and in accordance with law, rather than itself ordering a furlough extension.

The Government was also directed to report compliance, and the matter was posted for 11 November 2026 for that purpose.

The Court did not itself grant the requested 60-day extension.